Friday February 20th 2026
West Lothian Council headquarters
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Stuart Sommerville
Council Tax could rise by 8.4% from April in West Lothian if councillors back the administration’s budget on Tuesday.
The increase would collect money ring-fenced to fund pothole repairs and meet surging costs for social care for adults and the elderly.
The SNP are planning amendments to the proposed Labour-led administration which has a budget of £363m investment to be decided.
The council has to make total savings of £18.9million over the next two years – as the council must legally agree a balanced budget.
Insufficient funding from the Scottish Government and rising costs are piling the pressure on funding and the decision councillors will have to make when they meet on Tuesday morning.
If agreed the 8.4% rise would take the average Band D Council Tax in West Lothian to £1,642.75. This is an increase of £127.30 a year or £2.45 a week.
However, the vast majority – 62%- of Council Tax payers will pay less than this, with average weekly increases from £1.63 to £2.18 in Bands A to C.
By law councils across Scotland have to balance their budget by the end of February.
If approved, Council Tax levels in West Lothian are still expected to remain below the Scottish average. West Lothian Council currently has the 9th lowest Council tax charges in Scotland out of 32 councils.
Council Tax funds less than 20% of council services. Grant funding – which the Scottish Government provides to the council – funds the bulk.
Grant funding is not sufficient to fund all local services and keep pace with rising costs and increasing demand for council services. Therefore, the income generated via Council Tax is needed to ensure the council can protect and improve services. Without an increase in Council tax, there would be significantly less funding for local services.
Council Tax is spread across all areas of council services and supports the full range of essential local services that residents rely on every day — including education, waste and recycling, street lighting, and many other services.
In addition to this broad support, this increase would also allow the council to target nearly £4 million of additional funding towards two specific areas:- Social services and road repairs.
More vulnerable adults and older people need care and support and an increasing number of people need more complex packages of care and for longer. The cost of providing social care is also increasing.
West Lothian faces one of the fastest‑growing older populations in Scotland. This is creating unprecedented demand for social care packages, home care, residential care and support for adults with complex needs.
The additional Council Tax income will help avoid some of the most detrimental savings which will be considered by the Integration Joint Board (IJB), which oversees social care.
The increase will also specifically target £2 million over the next two towards pothole repairs and road defects. This will focus on tackling the current backlog of potholes and improving road surfaces across communities.
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